Putin calls Assad, warns against stoking tensions

President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone with his Syrian counterpart Tuesday, cautioning against stoking new tensions in the Middle East.

President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone with his Syrian counterpart Tuesday, cautioning against stoking new tensions in the Middle East. In a statement, the Kremlin said Putin told Syrian President Bashar Assad that he welcomed Syria's willingness to cooperate fully with the international commission investigating the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister, Rafik Hariri. "As well, it was emphasized the urgent need for cautious action by the international community in order to prevent the emergence of new sources of tension in the region," the Kremlin said in a statement. A report by a UN investigator has found evidence of Syrian involvement in Hariri's death.